Everton manager Roberto Martinez and defender Phil Jagielka both hope Romelu Lukaku's last-gasp equaliser against West Ham will prove a turning point for the under-pressure Toffees after they avoided an early FA Cup exit.

Everton have slumped to 13th in the Barclays Premier League after losing six of their last eight matches and Martinez's men looked set for more disappointment after James Collins' 56th-minute header put West Ham ahead at Goodison Park.

The hosts still trailed by that goal heading into stoppage time but Lukaku's thumping close-range finish salvaged a 1-1 draw for Everton and a third-round replay at Upton Park.

Belgian forward Romelu Lukaku scored a deserved equaliser in injury time at the end of the second half

The former Chelsea striker said he hoped this result could be the start of a decent run of games

Martinez hailed his side's 'phenomenal reaction' following their disappointing recent results and hopes it will spark a change in fortune for the Merseyside club.

He told BT Sport: 'I'm very very pleased, I'm proud of the character. It wasn't an easy game once you concede a goal and it would have been a crime if we'd gone out of the cup just by a dead-ball situation.

'I'm more pleased than anything with the character, with the reaction that we showed, the never-give-up attitude. In the middle of a period where we are low in confidence, it was a phonomenal reaction and it could easily be a turning point in our season.'

Martinez, who also thought the referee made a mistake in disallowing Lukaku's second-half header, added of the late leveller: 'Just delighted that at the end the goal arrived and I thought it was the true reward that the players deserved.'

Everton defender Jagielka added: 'We still would've liked a win today, we haven't got enough wins this season, but we put a battling performance on and it was about getting something today.

'It will be a difficult one at Upton Park but if you'd offered us with five minutes to go a chance to stay in it we'd have taken it, and hopefully that will give us a kick-start to the new year.'

Roberto Martinez and Sam Allardyce watch on during their draw on Tuesday evening

James Collins Scores the opening goal of the game during the FA Cup clash at Goodison Park